The Siege of Fallamore Mill
by Swanwhite2
Summary: This story takes place in Archenland three years after the Horse and His boy. It will involve bandits, spicy sausages and as the title implies, a siege in a windmill. Fourth chapter up!
1. Tumbles and Quarrels

**Disclaimer:**I would be much honoured if you did infact mistake me for the genius C.S.Lewis but I am certainly not he.

**Author's note: **Special thanks to Morhotar who is betaing this for me and to everyone at E-Inklings at the lion's call who helped out. Anyone who is reading the Narnia letters, I'm still working on them but my beta was busy an inspiration for this hit hard.

**The Siege of Fallamore Mill**

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**Tumbles and quarrels**

This is a story that takes place primarily in the western parts of Archenland in the late summer about three years after King Lune's lost son Cor was restored to him and Rabadash's treacherous attack on Anvard was thwarted. That story is written in a book called "The Horse and His Boy" which if you haven't already read, you really ought to. Anyway on with the story.

In the western hills of Archenland, under the bright sun of late afternoon Cor and Corin ran as hard as they could up a low wooded slope. Up until a few minutes ago they had been taking a leisurely stroll to the nearby village of Fallamore to get a few supplies for their hunting camp. But that had been abruptly put to an end by several very sharp looking arrows suddenly making an appearance in tree trunks alarmingly close to their heads.

No more arrows were launched but Cor caught a glimpse of their attackers taking pursuit over his shoulder. Before their breathing became heavy, Cor made a sharp detour and climbed among some rocks. Corin clambered up after him.

"Do you see them Corin?" Cor asked his brother who had a better view from his position.

"Umm..." Corin craned his neck and sat up a little higher. "No... Not yet -- Oh! There they are coming up the little gorge, not very well armed. There's only about... one, two... only four. We can take them." Corin said, straightening up and reaching for his sword eagerly. Cor nodded but looked grave.

"We must challenge them of course, in case they mistook us for someone else." Cor said.

"They certainly didn't give us that courtesy." Corin grumbled. He looked slightly disappointed that there may not be a fight, but he sheathed his sword obediently and followed his brother.

The first thing Cor noticed as they turned the corner, bringing their pursuers into view, was that there were a great deal more of them than Corin had counted and secondly that there was no time for diplomacy. Cor made a quick tactical decision and ran in the other direction. Corin followed suit.

They ran hard for several minutes, weaving in and out of trees, over logs and under branches, always hearing their chasers behind them but not daring to look. There breathing became heavy but they kept running. After awhile their pursuers seemed to have lost them or else given up, but the twins ran on to put some more distance between them. Corin mentioned that he thought there was a valley around here somewhere.

Cor noticed that there was a break in the trees ahead, and then suddenly there wasn't any ground under his feet. It was a horrible feeling but hitting ground a split second later was even worse. He found himself somersaulting down an exceedingly steep hill narrowly missing a large tree. The next tree he didn't miss. It wasn't enough to break his fall though. He rolled over roots and through brambles so that by the time he finally came to a stop he ached all over.

After a moment he groaned and opened his eyes. He was lying in a very grassy place. He could hear small creek chattering nearby and there were a lot of birds singing. A blue wild flower, whose name he couldn't remember, was sticking into his face. Apart from these things he had very little sense of his surroundings.

In a few minutes he could hear Corin noisily making his way down the hill.

"Well you sure found a quicker way down" Corin said with a laugh when he finally got to Cor. "Are you alright?"

"Absolutely, why do you ask?" Cor propped himself up with his elbows and gave a grin which looked more like a grimace. "I think I found your valley." Corin chuckled and offered his hand to help his brother up but Cor declined it. "Thanks but I think I'll stay down here for a bit" He said resting his head back on the soft grass and closing his eyes again. Corin filled his canteen from the creek, drank some and brought it to Cor who took a good long drink then poured the rest over his head.

"Have any idea who that could have been?" Corin asked. "Or why they were trying to kill us?" Cor shook his head and looked very thoughtful.

For a few minutes the boys sat in silence then they heard the rhythmic sound of hooves from down the valley and in a little while Aravis came galloping into sight on a chestnut mare. Her long black hair streamed out behind her and her eyes were bright with the thrill of the ride. She wore a long green dress and a bow and quiver of arrows hung at her back.

As soon as she saw Cor and Corin she slowed her horse and steered it towards them. Her expression changed to one of concern when she saw Cor for he really was a sorry sight. His clothes were torn and had blood and grass stains on them, he had several scratches on his face and his lip was swelling. He looked on the whole, the way Corin had the habit of looking every now and then.

"Oh Corin, what happened to you?" Aravis asked, though she thought she already knew. The real Corin tried rather unsuccessfully not to grin and answered:

"Oh not much Aravis, but thank you for asking" Aravis looked, for a moment, as if somehow another Corin had come into existence. Which you must admit is a rather frightening thought. But the truth soon became clear to her and she immediately became concerned for Cor. In reality he wasn't quite so bad as he at first appeared. His most serious injury was a bruised knee which was beginning to turn an extraordinary colour.

"What happened?" she asked after she had dismounted and was inspecting his injuries.

"I fell," Cor answered simply. Aravis surveyed the trail of broken branches from the top of the hill to where he now lay.

"I see" she said.

"We were being chased," Corin informed her.

"By what, a wild pig?" asked Aravis.

"No, it was a gang of armed assailants." Corin said trying to look offended.

"Really?" asked Aravis. Cor nodded and he and Corin then told her the whole story. After a bit Corin and Aravis helped him to his feet. His knee throbbed terribly but he limped a few steps and tried to give the others a reassuring smile.

"Can you ride, invalid?" Aravis asked.

"I'll walk."

"Don't be ridiculous Cor. That would be much harder than riding." Cor stared at the toes of his boots.

"I could not ride while the lady goes on foot. It wouldn't be right." He mumbled.

"Cor, you're injured. You can't very well go limping all the way back to camp!"

"I think I could manage alright," said Cor somewhat obstinately and took another step testing out his hurt leg. Aravis gave an exasperated sigh.

"Oh do be reasonable Cor. We'd probably get there the next morning with you limping all the way."

"And we want to get there in time for supper," put in Corin.

"Why must you always think of food?" Cor retorted somewhat crossly.

"Must you always be so stubborn?!" Aravis exclaimed, even more crossly.

"Oh so I'm the one who's always stubborn!" returned Cor rather angrily. Corin sighed, the type of sigh that means "not this again"

The quarrel went on for a little while (I would rather not write it all down) until Corin reminded Cor that they needed warn the camp about their ambushers as they had no idea of their numbers or intentions.

Cor saw the reason in this and finally consented to mount Aravis' horse though his face coloured a little and he said next to nothing on the journey the back. Aravis was also considerably quiet so Corin compensated by chatting eagerly on a number of subjects.

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Thankyou for reading, I'd really appreciate a review to know what you think and just to know that someone is reading it.


	2. Sausages and Making up

**Author's note:** Well here it is :) Chapter two. I hope you all enjoy it. I hope anyone who read the first chapter still remembers it. I have the next two or three paragraphs of the next chapter and shall make every effort to speed up the process. Many thanks to my beta reader Morohtor

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Chronicles of Narnia it's characters etc. I didn't even come up with the name for my original character Vhor. I stole or borrowed it from a friend. So Vhor if you happen to be reading this, hope you don't mind I took your name.

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**Sausages and making up again**

The sky was turning grey and the trees beginning to look black against it, when Cor, Corin and Aravis came at last to the hunting camp. They hadn't noticed how dark it had become until they saw the cheerful light of the campfires for it came on so gradually.

Some people were bustling about, getting supper ready while others were sitting by the fires and poking them with sticks so as to make sparks fly up into the clear evening sky. One of the former gave the care of a pan of sausages to one of the latter and came over to greet the princes and the lady. It was Vhor, an older experienced hunter and the leader of this trip.

"We expected you back at least a half hour ago. What held you?" He asked. "The same thing that banged you up, I imagine" Vhor added upon noticing Cor's bruises. Cor and Corin told their story for the second time with Corin doing most of the talking and Cor correcting or adding things now and then. Vhor gave a low whistle when they finished.

"This is troublesome news indeed" said he.

"I suppose this means you didn't get the thyme I asked for." was all Giffin, the camp cook, had to say.

Cor was helped off the horse and found that his knee was a little better and gave him only a little pain when he walked. The camp doctor saw to his various injuries and applied salve to his cuts.

Then they talked over the ambush and what they could be done about it. In the end Vhor suggested that they would eat supper and spend the night here then all go to into Fallamore the following morning to investigate things. Everyone approved of the plan, particularly Giffin who wasn't fond of bold ventures by dusk and didn't want his dinner to be left cold and uneaten. So the matter was settled.

In fact everyone was glad that supper would not be interrupted for it truly was a first-rate spread. There was fresh game roasted to perfection and Sausages (which I already mentioned) and baked potatoes with cheese and there was thimble berry cordial so thick and sweet that you needed to wash it down with water and to finish it all were about the finest looking cherry pies you ever saw. Giffin had a right to be proud of it.

With all this before them and the cheerful manners of their companions, Cor and Aravis almost forgot not to speak with each other, almost but not quite.

Everyone had a seat and tin plates and cups were passed around. Cor and Aravis ended up sitting next to each other but continued to avoid looking at or talking to one another.

Cor looked around behind him and saw the sun like a great sphere of molten gold sinking in the west. It reminded him of something the Hermit had once told him about not letting the sun go down on your anger. He could not very well stop the sun from setting but there was something he could do.

Whether or not Aravis had thought of the same thing, she came to something of the same conclusion. Both of them began to speak almost simultaneously and then fell silent. Then Aravis motioned for Cor to go first and he did.

"I'm sorry I was such an idiot." he said "At the time, I thought I was being chivalrous but I see now that it was only pride. It is no dishonour to a knight to accept the help of a lady." .

"I'm sorry too" said Aravis. "about what I said. You're not always stubborn."

"Neither are you." Cor said. He smiled and offered his hand. She shook it warmly and smiled as well.

"We've gotten pretty good at this." Cor said after a moment.

"At what?" she asked.

"Making up again after we fight" Cor said and grinned. Aravis laughed a little.

"Yes I guess we are." she said.

After this the meal was a cheerful one. The threat of enemies was forgotten or at least pushed to the backs of the minds of the merry company and Cor and Aravis were in each others good graces once again.

"Aren't you going to share those sausages Vhor?" Corin asked pointing to a pan of them that he was keeping to himself.

"These here?" Vhor asked raising the pan a little. The faintest hint of a grin showed in the edges of his mouth. "Help yourself." Corin did so and stabbed one for Cor also who had just emptied his plate. Corin bit into his piece first. He chewed for a little then choked, turned an extraordinary colour then spit and coughed. Cor and Aravis laughed.

"A bit spicy for you, master Corin?" Vhor said quietly with a sly grin. Then looking a little apologetic offered to take back the sausages.

"Thank you, but I think I shall eat mine still." said Cor. Corin drained his cup of water and raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"Are you certain that's a good idea, brother?"

"Oh I'm more used to spices than you." Cor said then added: "Besides I couldn't miss out on the experience which had such an interesting effect on you." and grinned. He sliced a smallish piece from the sausage with his fork and placed it cautiously into his mouth and chewed. It had a nice meaty flavour and a tasted only a little spicy. He began to wonder if Corin had only been joking when suddenly it came alive in his mouth.

Now it really speaks for Cor's resoluteness and that he managed to keep a straight face. His eyes watered and his tongue felt set on fire but he swallowed then somewhat sheepishly offered the rest of the sausage back to Vhor who accepted it with a chuckle. No one else asked for one of those sausages that evening.

New stories were told as are bound to come up on a hunting expedition as well as many good old ones.

"My Uncle caught a glimpse of the White Stag once." said one. "Never heard of any one actually catching him."

" 'cept for that one white stag." said an other with a wide grin. "You remember that Corin?" Corin grinned sheepishly and the man went on to explain the story to his friend. "About six years ago on a visit of state to Cair Paravel, Prince Corin here (the rascal) painted Chervy the stag white while he was sleeping and next thing the poor fellow knew, he was being chased by the whole court of Cair! I think the High King had a thing or two to tell Corin after that." The story was followed by a general explosion of laughter even though many present were already familiar with it.

Their voices mingled with the crackling of the fires and the night time noises and together created a sound that Aravis found very pleasant when she paused to listen to it.

The fires died down and the chatter grew quieter. One by one everyone said goodnight and went to their tents. Aravis braided her hair before she lay down and sighed contentedly. Very soon the camp was almost entirely quiet, except for the night time noises which soon lulled her to sleep.

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I hope you have enjoyed this second installment of the Siege of Fallamore Mill. Please add a review and tell me what you think of the story, what you liked, what you didn't and what you'd like to see in it. Thankyou for reading **:-)**


	3. Silence and Surprises

_**Author's note: **Once again I apologize for my slowness in writing. Thankyou Morhotar for your insight on this chapter. And I hope you all enjoy it. _

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_**Silence and Surprises**_

_Cor got up as soon the first golden sliver of the sun rose over the hill pouring sunlight in through all the gaps in the tent. The nagging throbbing in his knee was much harder to ignore while trying to fall asleep than while being wide awake and distracted by conversation. So he was glad to get up rather than continue to drift back and forth between pain and horrid dreams. _

_The whole camp was astir shortly after he was. Pans rattled and bacon sizzled, but they were a more sombre group than last night and went about making breakfast and packing things up efficiently. Vhor called Cor over to a rocky outcrop at the peak of the hill where he was standing. Cor climbed up carefully, favouring his injured knee._

"_Are you well this morning my prince?" He asked. _

"_Yes thank you, Vhor." Cor replied. "What are you looking at?"_

"_There" He said pointing "That is Fallamore." Cor Looked. There was a splendid view from where they stood. The newly risen sun at their backs cast a golden sheen on the landscape before them. Mist lay in the shallow places of the land which was thick with trees except for a narrow, pale strip of road. The road wound through the woods until it came to the end of the forest and there was Fallamore. It was a small village but neatly built. The centerpiece of it was a large windmill. Cor could see the blades glint in the sunlight as they silently went around over and over again. No other movement could be detected in the village. _

"_Where about were you and your brother ambushed?" Vhor asked. Cor's brow furrowed as his eyes scanned the road._

"_The second bend from the village" he answered after a moment. Vhor nodded in silence as his eyes roamed the distance. Cor imagined that a dozen plans and strategies were running through the hunter's mind. _

"_They are trying to keep people out of Fallamore." He said suddenly. "They may be blocking other routes in as well but we would still be better not to go on the main road."_

"_What other ways are there?" Cor Asked_

"_There is a forest path that enters the village from the north. Even if it comes to a fight it will be a more favourable battle ground for us than the main road." Cor nodded_

"_How did you come to know this land so well?" Cor asked._

"_My little brother Vhorin moved up this way to be near his wife's family so I've hunted here with him__." Vhor said._

_Cor nodded again and Vhor continued. "Once we are in Fallamore we can see if the villagers know what's going on then perhaps take the ambushers from a side they aren't expecting."_

"_It is a good plan." Cor said giving his approval. "Breakfast looks about ready now so let's eat then get on with it." Breakfast was shortly devoured, the fires were doused, the tents were packed up, the horses were saddled and whole camp was heading out in less than an hour after dawn. _

_It was a fine morning. I would say it was a quiet morning but that would not be entirely accurate. There was a deal of noise going on in the crowded streets of Tashbaan, in the busy harbours of the Islands, the chattering marketplace of Beruna, and elsewhere in the world, but I shall say that it was a quiet path. It was nestled among the hills like a silent instrument in a velvet case, far away from the noise of the world. Hardly a bird even sang and the horses' hooves made only a muted thudding on the forest's ferny floor. The forest's hush seemed to settle on the travellers so that they spoke little and then in only in whisper. _

_They continued on in this way until they could make out the mill's slowly turning blades beyond the thinning trees ahead. A sudden noise and movement by the path broke the silence and tranquility. Hands went to hilts but whatever it was scurried away through the underbrush and one or two said "Only a rabbit". But Cor caught a glimpse of a dark shape bounding through the thick foliage. "Too big to be a rabbit and too fast for a bear" he thought. In the days to come he regretted not making this thought known to his companions. _

_Very soon they came into the village with a great clattering of hooves on cobblestones. Except for the noise they made themselves the village was just as quiet as the path had been only this was an unnatural silence, certainly not to be expected in Fallamore in the middle of the day. Not a single living person could be seen. Everything was so still. _

_There was talk in low alarmed tones among the men. Cor looked to Vhor and saw a expression of great concern on his face. Swords were drawn and arrows put on strings. Everyone fell silent as they rode on towards the mill. _

_As I have said before, it was a large mill for it served not only as a mill but also as the home of the miller and as a sort of town hall. It was made of ancient looking stone and its only windows were on the third floor. A pale face of a child appeared at one of the high windows then turned away. Even this one living face was a great encouragement to the company below._

_A few moments later there was the sound of bolts being undone and bars being lifted and the great wooden door opened a crack. A man leaned out and beckoned them closer. "What has happened here friend?' Vhor asked._

"_No time to explain! Hurry in quickly before they get here! There is room for your horses just duck your heads." He flung the door open and stepped back all the time looking nervously over Vhor's shoulder. Vhor signalled his companions to do what the man had said. Their entrance was greatly hastened when a black feathered arrow struck the stone above their heads. Shouts and heavy footfalls were heard behind but all entered safely and the door banged shut. They breathed again and gradually became aware of their surroundings as their eyes adjusted to the dim light._

_It was a large round room that smelled of flour and from every corner wide eyed faces of the refugees of Fallamore stared at them from the shadows. They sat huddled in blankets and clinging to the things they managed to grab as the fled from their homes. _

_The hunting group dismounted and their horses were led into a stable that was attached to the mill. It was pretty dark in there because the windows had been boarded up but Cor could make out the vague shapes of some cows, some chickens, goats and a donkey besides other horses. Vhor was greatly relieved to find his brother Vhorin and met him with a strong embrace. _

_The man who had called them in introduced himself as Ferrin the miller. He explained to Vhor that a horde of bandits had swept upon the village without warning forcing the people to take refuge in the mill while the bandits helped themselves to all they could lay hands on. _

"_They have us surrounded on all sides." He continued. "They sometimes keep out of sight and sometime come into view to show us they are still there. One of the scouts must have seen you coming in and they tightened the knot."_

"_Do we have any chance of defeating them in battle." Vhor asked. Ferrin shook his head._

"_There are too many of them for us even with your men with us. Knowing that your camp would be in the area we had hoped you would become aware of our circumstances and get help." Vhor looked away then spoke in a low tone so that Cor could only just hear him._

"_But instead I led the king's sons right into a hopeless trap."_

"_You could not have known." the man said "There is hope yet. We have food including your supplies for quite sometime." Vhor nodded but was silent and grim._

_Cor felt a touch on his shoulder. It was Aravis._

"_Come on let's go upstairs where it's brighter." Cor smiled then noticed that Corin was already with her and for some reason that he found hard to understand he was a little disappointed. _

_They made their way up the wooden steps weaving in and out of people. Soon they found themselves blinking in the bright sunlight. Several people were looking out of windows but one turned away so Cor took his place. _

_Silently in the shadows but also in the light their was a great horde of ragged men. Their hair was long and tangled and their clothing thin and dirty but their mail and weapons shone like new in the morning sun. In horrid surprise Cor recognized them as the arms of the king's army._

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	4. Waiting and Watching

Well I really have nothing to say to excuse myself for such a long time between chapters, but I hope you haven't entirely forgotten what happened and are still interested in what's coming. Please review if you have any suggestion or comments or just to say that you read it.

**Waiting and Watching**

The discovery that their enemies were clad in the King's armour and weapons was a distressing one indeed. There was much speculation and discussion about it, but the end of it was that there was nothing they could do. Very little could be done about anything in fact but what could be done, they did.

All the food the hunting camp had brought was stored with the food supply already in the mill, rationing was organized, archers were set to stand watch in shifts at the four windows and everyone got sorted as to where they would sleep. And then they waited.

Aravis, Cor and Corin sat cross-legged in a pool of sunlight from one of the windows. The women and children were to stay here on the top floor as far away as possible from the dreaded door. Cor and Corin hardly counted as children but Vhor said they were to stay there anyway. Corin protested against this of course, but Vhor was resolute.

Aravis had gone and gotten a book of Archenlandish folk tales from her luggage and they took turns reading aloud by the light from the window. Aravis and Cor read haltingly for in Calormen Aravis had only learned a little reading from her old scribe and Cor none at all. But though Corin read the most smoothly Aravis read with the greatest emotion, switching into her "story-telling voice" as Cor called it.

As the afternoon went on the bandits were seen to be rummaging through the houses taking whatever they willed. It is astonishing how quickly this news passed through the whole mill though not a soul spoke above a whisper.

I think it must be among the most discouraging things in the world to know that your homes are being ransacked so close at hand and you not being able to do a single thing about it.

Still Aravis, Cor and Corin read on, and one by one several of the children came closer to hear the story. It was the story about a famous Archenlandish archer who was said to have had such mastery of his arrows that he could direct them even after they left his bow and had loosed an arrow that followed the river all the way to the sea causing the river to be named "The Winding Arrow".

The next story in the book was the story of Olvin and Giant Pire which Cor and Aravis had heard when they first came to Anvard at the celebration of Rabadash's defeat. They glanced at each other and did not have to ask if they remembered when they'd heard it first.

Meanwhile below Giffin was doing what he could to create a feast from very short rations and Ferrin was helping him to find things in the dimly lit kitchen.

"What's that there?" Giffin asked, pointing to something on the wall above the stove where very little firelight reached. Ferrin squinted into the dimness for a moment.

"Oh that's just my old violin." He declared upon recognition. "I haven't played that for years."

"Why don't you play us a tune now?" Giffin suggested. Ferrin shook his head modestly.

"I'm frightfully out of practice and never was very good to begin with really."

"Look around you" Giffin said, his tone suddenly more serious. "Have you ever seen a gloomier lot than these? ('sides them Marsh-wiggles up in Narnia.) " He gestured to the dismal faces. "They need cheering up. It needn't be anything fancy but a lively tune if you know one."

Ferrin looked thoughtful then nodded. "I suppose I could give it a go."

Cor was just stumbling over the end of the second story when the music broke out below. There ought to be a new legend in that book about a dusty violin that broke the spell of gloominess and brought new hope in a damp dark windmill in Fallamore in the western hills of Archenland.

When the first tune was finished and everyone was looking around like people waking from a dream, Giffin stood up on a chair and cleared his throat.

"Good people of Fallamore" He began "This is a dark time for you, no doubt. Our enemies have taken much but that is all the more reason to hold onto what they cannot take. They cannot take our hope, they cannot crush our spirits and for the present they cannot keep us from dancing to a good reel!"

This speech was given in a grand style that a great general might have used and so had a share of the comical coming from a small cook tottering on a chair. Yet it was as genuine as they come and made a great impact on it's audience.

Giffin signalled Ferrin to start playing again and hopped down off the chair. Very soon the entire mill was filled with clapping, laughter and dancing.

Through the windows the bandits were seen to be in apparent bewilderment from the music. This cheered the people even more.

"May I have this dance m'lady?"

Aravis looked around to see Cor. She could be certain it was him and not Corin because of the scratches on his cheek from his fall. He bowed, a little awkwardly perhaps but vastly improved from his first. Aravis blushed slightly and returned it with a calormene curtsey.

"Certainly, Prince Cor." she said and they danced just as they had learned from the lessons in Northern dance that they had taken together. For the next song Cor asked a girl of about six years to dance. And Aravis smiled at the seriousness and gallantry of his expression and manners.

By and by dinner was ready and everyone sat down breathless and happy to eat it. The size of the portions was another discouragement to everyone but they bore it well. The nearest thing to a complaint was when a small boy declared: "I'm still hungry" and his mother shushed him at once.

Aravis noticed Cor laughing loudly at some joke or story it reminded her of something King Lune had said, shortly after their arrival in Archenland,: "For this is what it means to be king: to be first in every desperate attack and last in every desperate retreat and when there's hunger in the land (As must be now and then in bad years) to wear finer clothes and laugh louder over a scantier meal than any man in you land."

Cor's hunting clothes were hardly fine, neither had King Lune's been when she first met him, but there had been something about him that she now saw in Cor.. something kingly.

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*points to shiny review button and grins*


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